Ashley has not fulfilled his pledges, hints Rafa

RAFA BENITEZ says Mike Ashley knows what he promised him at the end of last season and has hinted that the Newcastle owner has not been true to his word. Ashley gave a rare interview last weekend in which he claimed he could not afford to give the manager the transfer budget he would like. Benitez (below) says he did not watch the half-hour broadcast but is aware of its content. The Spaniard sat down with the sports retail tycoon in May and agreed to stay on as boss after getting what he thought were guarantees over squad investment and control. But after spending only £35million on six players this summer, he remains far from happy and, when asked about Ashley’s interview, he said: ‘He knows what he told me (in May) and what I was thinking. ‘It (the interview) didn’t change anything of what I think and it doesn’t change anything in terms of my approach to the games. ‘I know what he said (in the interview), I know what the fans think and I know if I keep talking about that, I will not change anything. I want to approach the Huddersfield game with the right mentality.’ Former Stoke striker Joselu arrived on Tyneside this week at a cost of £5m, but it would appear that Benitez must now sell before he can buy. ‘We have a lot of players to move out before we can move in,’ the manager said. ‘It is too early to say if the work behind the scenes is good. We will see.’